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Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan: â€œNext thing on the agenda is Kars-Nakhchivan projectâ€ - INTERVIEW

Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan: â€œNext thing on the agenda is Kars-Nakhchivan projectâ€ - <font color=red>INTERVIEW</font>

04 July 2012 16:12 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Rashad Suleymanov â€“ APA. The interview of Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan Hulusi KiliÃ§ to APA

- Dear Ambassador, Azerbaijan and Turkey signed TANAP agreement last week in Istanbul. What can you say about this project?

- As you know. Turkey and Azerbaijan signed many strategic projects. Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline and Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway projects can be shown as example to it. TANAP project, which was signed in Istanbul on June 26, must be seen as a new strategic symbol of Turkey-Azerbaijan brotherhood and cooperation. This project is important as the above-mentioned three projects. TANAP project should be accepted as the most important project implemented by Azerbaijan and Turkey. This project will be implemented at Azerbaijanâ€™s initiative and through cooperation of two fraternal countries. This project ensure source and diversification, realize the transfer of Caspian and Central Asian gas to Europe though Turkey and assist in ensuring the energy security. TANAP project will deepen the strategic cooperation between Turkey and Azerbaijan, contribute to regional development, peace and welfare and strengthen Azerbaijanâ€™s role in the region.

- Will Turkey and Azerbaijan implement the other similar strategic projects in the future?

- Turkey and Azerbaijan are strategic allies and certainly, we will continue our activity towards implementation of new projects in the future. We plan to link the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars project to Nakhchivan through Igdir, as well as to construct Erzurum-Kars-Igdir gas pipeline. As you know, Kars-Nakhchivan railway project was discussed at Nakhchivan meeting of Turkish, Azerbaijani and Iranian foreign ministers. BOTAÅž and SOCAR signed declaration of intention on launching Ä°gdir-Nakhchivan gas pipeline within Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildizâ€™s visit to Nakhchivan in July, 2010. I want to say that Kars-Nakhchivan railway project is very important. This project will make a great contribution to the development of cooperation between the two countries. The above-mentioned projects will contribute to development, deepening of bilateral and regional cooperation and improvement of living conditions of people.

- -In some circles there is information that some conditions are laid down on Turkey for opening of the Turkey-Armenia border. We would like to know your opinion concerning it.

- Turkey wishes the establishment of peace, order and prosperity in the region. It carries out its whole activity in this direction. It is necessary to solve all problems in the region for ensuring and maintain the stabile peace. It is known on what conditions it is possible to open Turkey-Armenia border. I want to remind that Turkey decided to close the border with Armenia in 1993 due to the occupation of Kalbajar by this country. It has only one reason: â€œthe border was closed as a result of occupation. The border closed as a result of occupation can be opened only after its end. The circles demanding the opening of Turkey-Armenia border without any conditions must first of all create necessary terms and conditions for opening the Azerbaijan-Armenia border i.e. the first closed border must be opened first. Armenia continues its occupational policy in spite of 4 resolutions of the UN Security Council, many decisions of the Council of Europe and OSCE. The decisions of the international organizations consider the end of occupation and opening of borders between two conflict parties. I want to remind the international community and those trying to press Turkey about it once again.